Seven-run ninth gives Mussels come-from-behind win over Marauders
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FORT MYERS -- The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels scored seven runs in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday afternoon to defeat the Bradenton Marauders, 7-5, at Hammond Stadium.
Trailing 5-0 headed into the bottom of the ninth inning, the Mussels (33-46, 6-9) got a two-run single from Dameury Pena and a two-run single by Emmanuel Rodriguez to pull Fort Myers within a run at 5-4. With two men on and two outs, Caleb McNeely then delivered a clutch home run to left to bring in three runs and secure the win for the Mussels. The home run was McNeely's second of the season.
Brennen Oxford (2-1) got the pitching win for the Mighty Mussels after working a scoreless ninth inning.
Leading the offense on the night were Rodriguez with three hits, including the two-run single in the big ninth inning, and Peyton Carr, who also had three hits including a double.
The Marauders (39-41, 9-5) won four of the six games in the series.
After an off day today, the Mighty Mussels return to action Tuesday at Clearwater. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m.
Marauders beat Mussels 5-3, secure series victory
Fort Myers – The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels were held in check by the Bradenton Marauders Saturday night at Hammond Stadium, falling by a final score of 5-3.
Bradenton (39-40, 9-4) struck in the first inning off Fort Myers (32-46, 5-9) starter and Twins No. 13 prospect Dasan Hill (0-1), as Jhonny Severino's sacrifice fly made it 1-0 Marauders.
An inning later, Bradenton tallied two more runs against Hill to take a 3-0 advantage.
Hill's first clean inning of the night came in the top of the third inning, when he struck out the side on 10 pitches.
His night ended with two outs in the fourth inning after allowing an RBI single to Marauders' shortstop Yordany De Los Santos, which extended the Bradenton lead to 4-0.
Hill finished the night throwing 4.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits, while striking out seven.
Christian Becerra entered for Fort Myers and recorded the final out of the fourth inning.
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Marauders added another run in the sixth. De Los Santos drove in his third run of the night, this time on a sacrifice fly, which made it 5-0 Marauders.
The Mussels offense pushed across their first run of the game in the bottom of the seventh. Blaze O'Saben was hit by a pitch with one out in the frame, later stealing second to move into scoring position.
With two outs in the inning, O'Saben never hesitated rounding third and scored on Angel Del Rosario's softly hit infield single to make it 5-1 Bradenton.
Becerra went 4.1 innings in relief, striking out three and allowing one run on three hits.
Jakob Hall was the final Mussel pitcher of the night and retired the side in order in the ninth inning.
The Mussels tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the ninth. O'Saben was again hit by a pitch, this time as the leadoff batter in the inning. Two batters later, Del Rosario tripled into the right-center field gap to cut the Bradenton lead to 5-2.
Del Rosario scored one batter later, as Yasser Mercedes hit a sacrifice fly to Bradenton first baseman Ethan Lege, bringing the score to 5-3. Lege fell into the first base dugout after making the catch, which allowed Mercedes to score.
Mussels drop fourth game of series against Marauders, 14-1
Fort Myers – The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels fell 14-1 at the hands of the Bradenton Marauders Friday night at Hammond Stadium.
Fort Myers' (32-45, 5-8) starter Eli Jones (2-8) stranded four base runners across the first three innings of play, before retiring the side in order in the top of the fourth.
Jones wasn't able to work around trouble in the fifth inning, though. Six of the first seven batters of the inning reached, as Bradenton (38-40, 8-4) plated four runs off the Mussel right hander to take a 4-0 lead. Jones then exited and Tyler Stasiowski entered out of the Fort Myers bullpen.
The margin swelled later in the frame on a two-run double by Bradenton second baseman Jeral Toledo, giving the Marauders a 6-0 advantage. All six runs were charged to Jones, who finished the night pitching 4.1 innings.
Bradenton scored again in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice bunt, extending the lead to 7-0.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Mussels finally broke through against Marauders' starter Victor Cabreja (7-1). Yohander Martinez reached on an error to begin the frame, later scoring on an RBI double by Twins No. 2 prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez to make it 7-1. Rodriguez, however, was thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple to end the inning.
The Marauders tagged Zander Sechrist for three runs in the top of the seventh inning, pushing the margin to 10-1.
The final runs of the game for the Marauders scored in the top of the ninth against Mussel reliever Josh Bortka. Bradenton plated four in the frame to make the lead 14-1